Off the wire

GOLF Bowditch headed to Masters

Steven Bowditch held on to win the Texas Open in San Antonio in windy conditions Sunday for his first PGA Tour victory and a spot in the Masters. The Australian bogeyed the par-5 18th for a 4-over 76 for a one-stroke victory. It was the highest closing score by a winner since Vijay Singh finished with a 4-over 76 in the 2004 PGA Championship, and the highest in a non-major since Fred Couples had a 5-over 77 in the 1983 Kemper Open. Bowditch finished at 8-under 280 at TPC San Antonio and earned $1,116,000. Bowditch, 30, based in Dallas, entered the week 339th in the world and had only two top-10 finishes in eight years on the tour.He won once on the Australasian circuit and twice on the Web.Com Tour. Will MacKenzie and Daniel Summerhays tied for second. MacKenzie shot 70, and Summerhays had a 71. Chesson Hadley and Ryan Palmer missed chances to get into the Masters through the top 50 in the world ranking. Hadley, the Puerto Rico Open winner, needed at least a sixth-place finish, but closed with an 80 to tie for 56th at 5 over. Palmer needed a top-three finish and had an 82 to also tie for 56th. Scott Gardiner (Farmington) finished 15 strokes behind after a 3-over 75 to earn $13,020.

Anna Nordqvist rallied to win the Kia Classic at Aviara in Carlsbad, Calif., for her second victory in her last four LPGA Tour starts.Two strokes behind leaders Cristie Kerr and Lizette Salas entering the round, Nordqvist, 26, closed with her second consecutive 5-under 67 for a one-stroke victory over Salas. Nordqvist won the LPGA Thailand last month to end a five-year victory drought, holding off top-ranked Inbee Park. The Swede also won the LPGA Championship and LPGA Tour Championship in 2009. Projected to jump from 16thto ninth in the world, Nordqvist finished at 13-under 275 and earned $255,000. Salas birdied the 18th for a 70. Lexi Thompson was third at 11 under after a 68. The Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first major tournament of the year, is next week in Rancho Mirage. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) tied for sixth at 8 under after a 1-under 71 to earn $46,511.

Kris Blanks won the Louisiana Open in Broussard for his second career Web.com Tour title, closing a 9-under 62 and beating Brett Stegmaier with a 10-foot birdie putt on the third hole of a playoff. Seven strokes behind leader Kyle Reifers at the start of the round, Blanks matched Stegmaier at 14-under 270 at La Triomphe and earned $99,000. Blanks, 41, was making his first Web.com start of the year after playing five PGA Tour events.He had shoulder surgery a year ago. Stegmaier finished with a 68. He missed a 60-foot birdie try on the third extra hole. Reifers and Jonathan Randolph tied for third at 13 under. Randolph shot 67, and Reifers had a 70. Glen Day (Little Rock) shot a 3-0ver 74 and finished in a tie for 55th at 2 under.

BASKETBALL

Wiggins announcement set

Kansas has scheduled a news conference today at Allen Fieldhouse with freshman star Andrew Wiggins and Coach Bill Self. Wiggins has already said he plans to enter the NBA draft, though Kansas would not say what the news will be. The 6-foot-8 Wiggins led Kansas in scoring at 17.1 points per game and averaged 5.9 rebounds. The Canadian was the Big 12 freshman of the year and a first-team all-conference selection. Wiggins is expected to be one of the top picks in the draft. Fellow Kansas freshman Wayne Selden Jr. has already announced he will return to school. Freshman center Joel Embiid, who also has a chance to be the top overall pick, has yet to announce his plans.

BASEBALL Furcal, Lucas on DL

Infielder Rafael Furcal was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday by the Miami Marlins retroactive to March 21 because of a strained left hamstring. Infielder Ed Lucas also went on the disabled list retroactive to March 28 because of a broken left hand. The contracts of outfielder Reed Johnson and right-hander Kevin Slowey were selected from Class AAA, and outfielder Brian Bogusevic and right-hander Michael Brady were designated for assignment.

The Baltimore Orioles have placed third baseman Manny Machado and outfielder Nolan Reimold on the 15-day disabled list. The moves came Sunday as the Orioles reached the 25-man limit. Machado is recovering from knee surgery and Reimold is returning from neck surgery Baltimore also placed winter meeting draft pick Michael Almanzar and outfielder Francisco Peguero on the 15-day disabled list, put right-hander Edgmer Escalona on the 60-day disabled list and designated pitcher Mike Belfiore for assignment, opening room on the 40-man roster for reliever Evan Meek and outfielder Delmon Young, whose contracts were selected from Class AAA.

Texas has put right-hander Yu Darvish and left-hander Matt Harrison on the 15-day disabled list, moves that were expected as the Rangers set their 25-man roster for opening day. Darvish had been scheduled to start today’s opener against Philadelphia until neck stiffness two weeks ago. Harrison, last year’s opening-day starter, pitched in only two games last year had a setback early in camp with stiffness in his neck and back.

The rights to Royals left-hander Everett Teaford were sold to theLG Twins of the Korean Baseball Organization after it became clear he was not going to make the team out of spring training. Terms of the sale Sunday were not disclosed. Teaford, 29, was 4-6 with a 3.49 ERA in 31 appearances at Class AAA Omaha last season. He made one appearance at the major league level, and is 3-5 with a 4.25 ERA in 45 major league outings with Kansas City. The Royals have plenty of pitching in the bullpen, and Teaford appeared to be one of the odd men out. He was assigned to minor league camp on March 14.

TENNIS

Djokovic dominates Nadal

Novak Djokovic won his fourth Key Biscayne title, while Rafael Nadal failed again trying for his first. Djokovic led from the start and closed out the victory by winning a remarkable exchange to beat Nadal 6-3, 6-3 Sunday in the final of the Sony Open. Nadal fell to 0-4 in finals at Key Biscayne, one of just three ATP Masters 1000 events he has yet to win. Only six-time champion Andre Agassi has won the men’s event more than Djokovic. Djokovic erased the only break point he faced, committed just 15 unforced errors and won a scrambling, 30-shot rally on the final point. He completed a March sweep after beating Roger Federer in the final at Indian Wells two weeks ago. Even so, Nadal will remain ranked No. 1 and Djokovic No. 2. Also Sunday, Martina Hingis won her first doubles title in seven years when she and Sabine Lisicki defeated Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina 4-6, 6-4, 10-5. The doubles title was the 38th for Hingis, a former No. 1 player, but her first since Doha in 2007. The final was the first for the 33-year-old Hingis since she came out of retirement last year to play doubles. Hingis also won Key Biscayne in 1998 and 1999 with Jana Novotna. She and Lisicki made the tournament as a wild-card entry.

Sports, Pages 14 on 03/31/2014

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